Rescue operation saves 51 migrants and searches for 25 missing south of Gavdos
Greek authorities and Frontex launched a search and rescue operation 38 nautical miles south of Gavdos after a boat carrying 77 people overturned, rescuing 51 and searching for 25 missing.
Capsizing in the Libyan Sea
A maritime search and rescue operation was launched in the Libyan Sea on the evening of 13 September 2026 after a boat carrying 77 foreign nationals overturned and became semi-submerged. The maritime incident took place approximately 38 nautical miles (over 70 kilometres) south of the Greek island of Gavdos, situated south of Crete. Commercial traffic in the area received initial emergency alerts and directed four passing merchant vessels toward the scene. Crew members aboard the commercial ships pulled 51 survivors from the water during the first phase of the operation. Responders also recovered one person who was found unconscious, while emergency teams continue active efforts to locate 25 passengers who remain missing.
Coordination and asset deployment
The entire search and rescue operation is managed and directed by the Hellenic Joint Rescue Coordination Center (EKSED). Four commercial cargo vessels navigating through the Libyan Sea were the first to arrive at the coordinates and assist the boat's occupants. European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) assets in the area deployed two patrol boats and an aerial search aircraft to assist in the initial rescue. Additional emergency resources were mobilised and dispatched to the location, including a Hellenic Coast Guard lifeboat and a specialized Hellenic Air Force helicopter. Frontex dispatched an additional vessel alongside an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) to expand overhead visual surveillance across the sea.
- Rescued alive
- 51 people
- Reported missing
- 25 people
- Recovered unconscious
- 1 people
Passenger status and survivor accounts
The scope of the incident was established following formal statements given by the 51 individuals who were pulled to safety. According to the rescued passengers, exactly 77 people were on board the vessel when it encountered trouble and began sinking. These survivor testimonies indicate that 25 passengers remain unaccounted for in the surrounding waters. Responders transferred the 51 rescued individuals onto the four commercial vessels that assisted at the scene. Emergency personnel also recovered one unconscious foreign national from the sea, though authorities have not yet released medical updates on the person's condition or confirmed the nationalities of those on board.
Environmental conditions and search area
Maritime authorities reported northwest winds reaching force 4 on the Beaufort scale across the operational area south of Gavdos. Weather conditions were described as relatively mild at the time of the incident, though the boat became heavily compromised and overturned in the open waters. Search operations continue across the Libyan Sea sector, with surface ships and aerial teams patrolling the 38-nautical-mile zone south of Gavdos. Hellenic Coast Guard units, Air Force aviators, and Frontex aerial surveillance teams, including drone operators, are maintaining active search patterns to find any remaining survivors.
